a conversation with arpan shah the open house arpan shah ... · a conversation with arpan shah the...
TRANSCRIPT
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A R PA N S H A H GujARAt
MODO DESIGNS
C O N T A C T
Address Titanium Square, Near Thaltej Chowkdi, Sarkhej - Gandhinagar Hwy, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380015
Phone +91 7940308848
Email [email protected]
Website www.mododesigns.co.in
t H E O P E N H O u S E A Conversation with Arpan Shah
Spread over an area of 3600 sq ft, a weekend home in Ahmedabad reinterprets the notion of openness. With its lush greenery
comprising evergreen trees and open to sky courtyard, architect Arpan Shah of MODO Designs, has designed a house that gives an
“unwinding” feel, all throughout the year.
The design is meant to be a gathering and retreat place, more
like a small resort for a Gujarati family, as per the client’s brief.
The clients wanted a place away from the hustle-bustle of the
city, a place to relax and enjoy, where you forget the stress of
your life.
Keeping this essential brief in mind, the house is designed as
two blocks separated by an open to sky courtyard. The idea was
to allow natural elements to merge into the blocks and engage
the user with these elements and thereby form a communion
with nature.
The weekend house is a place in harmony with nature. A design
that flows smoothly from inside to outside, forming a seamless
connection. The material palette is kept simple, exposed
concrete and wood. The concrete slab gracefully sits on the
glass and wooden panels and ceiling.
The entrance is itself rejuvenating, flanked by a few steps and
greenery all around. The planning is based on the usage, keeping
the public areas in the front and private ones in the rear. The
front block has the living, dining and verandah space which are
more public in nature and are interpreted by a glass pavilion.
The rear block houses the private bedroom spaces and kitchen
and hence, starker and introvert in expression. The sense of
openness and flow prevails, giving an inviting feeling to the user.
The furniture is kept simple and inviting. The lighting is involving
in a sense, adding glory to the design. The interiors evoke a sense
of togetherness and homely feeling.
The glass pavilion is shielded by the harsh sun through a deep
verandah in the south, an entry vestibule slab in the east and
through a wood screen in the west. The pool located in the
south western part causes cool breeze to flow into the living and
bedroom spaces. The pool also acts as a place which can be used
for partying, with a few seating alongside, making it a perfect
pool-side destination too.
The house is intended to be informal in nature, eliminating false
ceiling in internal spaces and keeping exposed RCC slabs. The
flooring in the living and bedroom spaces is river washed Indian
granite while all toilet has natural granite, slate and marble. The
external walls have Indian granite cladding in certain portions
and stone granule plaster. The internal walls explore direct paint
without putty to have characteristic rustic look. The concern
of using the waste is also explored in a couple of toilets where
granite waste is used to create random patterns. The toilet and
dress areas are spacious and have an ample amount of storage.
The design displays horizontal scale and definition. The exposed
concrete and wood give a rustic touch to the house. Simple
in design, functional in planning, having an intimate affair
with nature/in communion with nature makes it a perfect
combination for a getaway retreat house. The design team has
truly justified the brief and added an edge with minimalistic
strategies which are impactful in nature.
What is the highlighting feature of your design?
The essential key feature was segregating the two blocks and allowing open to sky space
between these so as to engage the user with the natural elements. Also the glass pavilion
along with the 12’ cantilevered verandah on the south is kind of the highlight of the project.
We imagined a floating space and didn’t prefer any columns on the edge of verandah.It was a
challenge to build this and eventually we decided to have mild steel trusses which supported
the horizontal slab. The trusses were concealed in inclined wood ceiling, and the inclined
ceiling gave a sense expanse towards the south gardens.
Is there any particular architectural style that you follow?
We don’t follow any specific style as that can be limiting the possibilities in architecture but
essentially our philosophy is about being inclusive, interpreting and responding to place, people
and purpose to naturally have different and appropriate expressions. Our approach to design
is not to impose but explore and flow through interpretations. Inspirations and peculiarities
are gathered from place or people and given expression. These peculiarities can be climatic,
cultural and could also be personal preferences of people we design for. Our concerns also
have to been to develop a more inclusive architecture than includes the elements of nature
and which we have tried to address in this house as well.
What do you value the most while designing?
We value the initial observations noted with the user and of the site which leads us to specific
and responsive design. The design process and explorations also become valuable then as it
further allows the design to evolve and adapt. One of other concerns is also to build with a
construction finesse hence this is addressed during design and execution.
What/Who was your inspiration behind the design?
The brief of the user to ‘design a place like a resort that can be a gathering place for friends and
family’ inspired and guided the design of this house.
“Pool” seems to be the highlighting feature of your design. What importance does it play to
have something that forms the basis of your design?
We wanted to integrate the water feature as a sensory experience of this place. Its location
needed to be such that it can be a visual element from garden, the living and verandah area as
well as bedrooms in rear the bay.
Choosing furniture and lights play an important role in interiors. Any suggestion in selection
of these for the users?
The interior design needs to be in sync with the architectural character and also simultaneously
address functional issues. The furniture here was minimal and spartan in nature to sync with
the architectural character. The fabrics used was in a manner to make the space more vibrant.
The lighting is very subtle as it is designed primarily for weekend retreat and informal gathering.
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FACt FILE
PROjECt tItLE THE OPEN HOUSE
LOCAtION OF PROjECt MUMATPURA, OFF S G HIGHWAY, AHMEDABAD
BuILt uP AREA 3,600 Sq.fT.
ARCHItECtuRE FIRM MODO DESIGNS
PRINCIPAL ARCHItECt ARPAN SHAH
DESIGN tEAM ARPAN SHAH PRACHI BHAVSAR
INtERIOR DESIGNER SAPTAK PATEl
StRuCtuRAL ENGINEER AMEE ASSOCIATES
CIVIL CONtRACtOR MIHIR DARJI
LANDSCAPE CONSuLtANt AMIT MODHA
PHOtO CREDItS RADHIKA PANDIT
YEAR OF COMPLEtION 2016
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SECtION 1 NORtH-SOutHTHROUGH MASTER BEDROOM AND VERANDAH
SECtION 2 NORtH-SOutHTHROUGH VERANDAH, LIVING AREA AND COURTYARD
SECtION 3 EASt-WEStTHROUGH VENTRY VESTIBULE, LIVING AREA AND POOL
ABOVE | THE FRONT VIEW, DISPLAYING HORIzONTAL SCALE AND DEFINITION.
BELOW | SECTION DETAIL
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SItE PLAN
LEGEND
1. PORCH
2. LIVING & DINING
3. POWDER ROOM
4. STORE ROOM 1
5. KITCHEN
6. VERANDAH
7. BEDROOM 1
8. TOILET 1
9. BEDROOM 2
10. TOILET 2
11. STORE ROOM 2
12. CHANGE ROOM
1
1
2
5
6
8
7
3
93
2
4
1011
12
1
2
3
11'9" X 11'0"
31'0" X 18'0"
7'9" X 12'0"
9'0" X 5'0"
5'6" X 4'6"
10'0" X 19'9"
25'9" X 12'0"
16'0" X 17'6"14'0" X 16'0"
5'3" X 11'9'
14'0" X 5'9"
8'6" X 12'6"
FLOORING :RIVER FINISHED BLACK GRANITE & BROWN
GRANITE
WALL CLADDING : IVORY FANTASY GRANITE
INtERIOR FINISHES : CUSTOMISED
LIGHt FIXtuRES : CHANGI / ABBA LED LIGHT FIxTURES
KItCHEN FIXtuRES : CUSTOMISED
SANItARY WARE & CP FIttINGS : KOHlER
FuRNItuRE : CUSTOMISED
SOFt FuRNISHINGS : FAB INDIA
MAtERIAL SPECIFICAtIONS
ABOVE | VIEW OF THE TWO BLOCKS SEPARATED BY
OPEN TO SKY SPACE WITH SWIMMING POOL.
OPPOSItE | SITE PLAN & MATERIAL SPECIFICATIONS.
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ABOVE | THE LIVING AND DINING AREA WITH VISIBILITY
ALL AROUND.
OPPOSItE ABOVE | SIMPLE AND FUNCTIONAL
INTERIORS OF THE BEDROOM.
OPPOSItE BELOW | WOODEN INTERIORS EVOKING
CHARM.
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ABOVE | THE LIVING
AREA Of THE HOUSE
ENCLOSED IN GLASS
AND WOOD.
BELOW | THE
GREENERY OUTSIDE
THE SPACE, ADDING
A NATURAl fEEl THE
HOUSE.
OPPOSItE ABOVE |
THE ENTRANCE Of THE
HOUSE, REJUVENATING
AND FLANKED BY LUSH
GREENS.
OPPOSItE BELOW |
CIRCULAR DINING AREA
WITH THE VIEW OF THE
OPEN SPACE.